NONPROFIT TAKES OVER PARK SYSTEM FOR BIG DIG

By Milton J. Valencia
Globe Staff / February 10, 2009
The Boston Globe

The nonprofit group created to manage the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway in downtown Boston approved a lease agreement last night with the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority to officially take over the property.

"Think spring," said Nancy Brennan, director of the Greenway Conservancy, which was created to manage the park. With the approval of the lease, "the Conservancy will start to maintain the Greenway with its own force. And I think the Greenway will benefit from a single organization with a single focus for a sustained length of time."

The 13.2-acre park system that runs from Chinatown to the North End and above the Central Artery was created by the Turnpike Authority during the construction of the Big Dig.

The Greenway, which had a grand opening in October, features five fountain systems and dozens of lighting systems. Rather than have the Turnpike Authority direct resources to the park, the nonprofit group was created to focus on park upkeep, programming, and repairs - similar to how a nonprofit group maintains Central Park on behalf of New York City.

"This is what we were created for, and now we're ready to suit up and get into the parks and do it," Brennan said. "This is our specific mission, the Greenway."

Brennan said that the lease agreement - which runs for five years with an option for an additional 10 - spells out the roles the Conservancy and the Turnpike Authority will play in park maintenance and repairs.

The Conservancy has a $5 million budget.

Milton Valencia can be reached at mvalencia@globe.com.

Copyright © 2009 Globe Newspaper Company.

Contact:

Nancy Brennan
Rose Fitzgerald Kenney Greenway Conservancy
617-292-0020
info@rosekennedygreenway.org